President Donald Trump paid heartfelt tribute to Charlie Kirk, attending the political commentator's funeral at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, September 21. Accompanied by his sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, the 79-year-old statesman arrived via Air Force One, his entrance marked by a solemn dignity. Photographs captured him descending from the presidential aircraft before proceeding into the venue, where he was later seen seated in an upper level, his gaze sweeping over the assembled crowd alongside Eric, 41.
Kirk, 31, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, had been tragically gunned down on Wednesday, September 10, while addressing an audience at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, during the inaugural event of his American Comeback Tour. A spokesperson for Turning Point USA confirmed Kirk's untimely death in a statement shared with PEOPLE, writing, "May he be received into the merciful arms of our loving Savior who suffered and died for Charlie. We ask that everyone keep his family and loved ones in your prayers."
In a poignant post on Truth Social that afternoon, the president mourned the loss, stating, "The Great, and even Legendary, Charlie Kirk, is dead. No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie. He was loved and admired by ALL, especially me, and now, he is no longer with us."
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, September 11, Donald revealed that he had been invited to attend the funeral and added, "I think I have an obligation," according to CNN. In an interview with Fox News, Donald expressed his intent to attend "a funeral for a great gentleman named Charlie Kirk, who should not be having a funeral right now. He should be out there in front of people, he loved doing it, he was so good at it," as reported by CBS News.
The president continued to laud Kirk for having "a big impact on the election," stating, "You know, I won, I got so many young voters that no Republican's ever gotten anything close. I dominated with young people. And it's never happened before. And I give him so much credit."
Donald has consistently paid tribute to Kirk in the wake of his passing. During a visit to the Pentagon for a 9/11 memorial ceremony on Thursday, September 11, the president announced plans to honor the right-wing media personality with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "The date of the ceremony will be announced, and I can only guarantee you one thing: That we will have a very big crowd. Very, very big," he declared.
Also on September 11, Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance accompanied Kirk's casket and his widowed wife, Erika Kirk, as they transported his body back to Arizona. The Associated Press obtained photos of the group arriving in Phoenix on Air Force Two. Vance paid tribute to Kirk with a post on X, writing, "Charlie Kirk was a true friend. The kind of guy you could say something to and know it would always stay with him."
He continued, "And because he was a true friend, you could instinctively trust the people Charlie introduced you to. So much of the success we've had in this administration traces directly to Charlie's ability to organize and convene. He didn't just help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government."
Kirk rose to prominence after co-founding Turning Point at the tender age of 18, advocating for conservative politics on high school, college, and university campuses. His three-hour radio talk show, The Charlie Kirk Show, solidified his status as a close ally of Trump's leading up to the 2020 presidential election. In 2020, he was appointed by the president to a commission promoting "patriotic education."
The gunman who killed Kirk fled the scene after firing a single fatal shot. A massive manhunt ensued, with the FBI releasing a video of the suspect leaping off a roof to escape. On Friday, September 12, Utah Governor Spencer Cox announced that authorities had apprehended a suspect — 22-year-old Utah resident Tyler Robinson. During a press conference that day, the governor alleged that Robinson had "confessed" to the crime or implied responsibility while speaking to a family member.
Amid claims that the assassination was politically motivated, voter records shared on September 12 revealed that Robinson had not voted in the prior two presidential elections and was registered as an unaffiliated voter.
